Coupling-tightener bar



Patented Apr.. 7, 1925i.,

uNiTso stares safran FEC E Application filed april 23,

T0 all 'whom t may conce/m. 1

Be it known that PETER l-l. Casos, Jr., a citizen of thellnited States,residi C; at Watertown, in the county of Codington and State of SouthDakota, have invented certain new and useful improvements inCoupling-Tightener Bars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in coupling and tightening`devices for tire chains and has as its object to provide a simple andinexpensive type of coupling which may be readily applied by any one toone end of the chain and adjustably oonnected with the other end of thechain and manipulated so as to draw the ends of the chain together andthus hold the chain snugly to the tire casing to which it is applied.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for the purposestated which mayin itself be placed upon the market independent of thetire chains and sold at 'a low cost and applied by any one to anyordinary tire chain whichis not equipped with connecting means for itsends or substituted for the usually unsatisfactory coupling means whichare now present onsuch chains so as to obtain the advantages which areinherent in the present invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupling and tighteningdevice for tire chains of such construction that it may be readilymanipulated to draw the ends of the chain together, and may be equallyas readily locked in the adjusted position, the device being further soconstructed as to preclude any likelihood of its becomingunlockedalthough it may be readily manipulated to permit of separation of theends of the chain and removal of the chain from the tire.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is aside elevation of the device embodying the presentinvention, the same being shown assembled with the ends of a tire chainand in position about to be manipulated to tighten and lock the chain;

Figure 2 is a similar View illustrating the device adjusted and lockedin position to hold the chain to the tire; p

Figure 3 is a detail vertical transverse sectional view takensubstantially on the line 3-3 of Figure l, the connected ylinks of thetire chain being omitted from this view.

In the drawing, the numeral l indicates in general a tire chain withwhich the device of the presentinvention i'sto be associated, thelongitudinal links of the chain being indicated by the numeral 2 and oneof the end links being indicated by the numeral 3. The drawingillustrates only one side of the chain but it will be understood thatthere are, of course, two series of 'longitudinal links arranged one ateach side of the chain and between which the cross chains 4.-' extend.Likewise it will be understood that there is one of the links 3k at eachside of one end of the chain. The links 3 will presently be morespecifically described.

The device embodying the invention coniprises an arcuate lever barindicated in genera-l by the numeral 5. intermediate its ends the saidbar 5 is formed with an opening indicated-by the numeral 6, and freelyVpivotally iitted through this opening is the shank Y of ,a rivet 8, theshank of the said rivet, as shown in Figure 3, being of a lengthVsomewhat greater than lever bar 5. The said means whereby the link 3 maybe connected with the lever bar 5 so as to permit ofv pivotal movementof the said bar about the rivet 8 as a fulcrum. portions twistedtogether as indicated by the numeral 9s@ asto provide a shank, and theterminal portions of the said side members are bent to provide eyes 10which are disposed at opposite sides of the lever bar 5 and arepivotally engaged with the shank 7 of the rivet S between the heads ofthe said rivet and the adjacent faces of the said bar 5.

The numeral ll indicates a hook having a shank l2 provided with alaterally turned terminal portion pivotally engagedothrough an openingin one end of the lever bar 5 and headed, as at 13, so as to bepermanently as sembled with the said bar for free pivotal movement. Asimilar hook, indicated by the numeral 15'-, is provided with a shank l5which is connected in the same manner as above described, with the saidend of the bar, as indicated by the numeral 16. The hooks are preferablyso arranged that when properly applied to the chain, their bills will bepresented outwardly. Referring now to Figure l of the drawings, it willbe observed that the hook ll is to be engaged with one or another of the.links 2 of the side stretches of the chain, depending upon the distanceto be spanned between the adjacent ends of the chain after it has beenfitted as snugly as the thickness of the rivet 8 constitutes a The link3 has its side possible tov the tire casing. With the hook 11 engaged inthe manner stated, the lever 5 will extend substantially in thedirection of extent oii the chain stretch 2, the portion of the barbetween the rivet T and the pivoted shank et the hook ll extending sulstantially in a straight line between the ends of the chain stretch tobe connected,- and the other portion ot' the length of the bar extendingbeneath the link 3 as clearly shown in said Figure l. The last mentionedend aorton of the bar is now grasped and the liar is swung about therivet 7 as a nlcruni and in the manner ci" a lever so as to draw' thelink 2 to which the hook 11 is connected, in the direction of the linli3, or, in other words, in the direction of the opposite end et the chainstretch and rthis movement is continued until the lever bar 5 hasassinned snbstantiallyv the position shown in Figure 2 et the drawings,in which position the firstxnentionedend portion ot the bar will neabove the link 3 and the last-mentioned end portion 'of the lever barwill lie beneath that end portion of the chain stretch to which the hook1i is connected. ln this manner the chain is tightened about the tirecasing upon which it is arranged, and the hook 14: is then engaged witha conveniently located one et the linl'is 2 beneath which thecorrespondingl end portion ot the lever bar extends, and the device isthus locked. Due to the fact 'that the bar 5 constitutes a lever and inthe position assumed in Figure 2, is placed under a strain tending toswing it or return it to the position shown in Figure l, a constant pullis exerted upon the hook lll so that as a con sequence the hook cannotbecome accidentally disengaged trein the link 2 with which it isinitially engaged, and there is therefore no likelihood of the chaincoming loose from the tire.

Having thns described the invention.lv what is claimed as new is:

l. coupler and tightener for tire chains Y comprising a lever bar, afulcrum intermediate the ends oi the bar tor the connection of one endoi the chain, a hook pivotally connected to the bar adjacent one endthereci' and constituting means 'for the eonnecn tion of the aar withthe other end ot the chain, and a oli freely pivotally connected to thebar a ent the other end thereof and having a late, ly presented bill forlocking engagement with one oit the links of the chain adj eee-nt thelast-mentioned end therewnen the lever bar has been swung about inlernmdraw the ends of the chain together.

Q, A coniler and tightener bar for tire chains comprising a lever bar, aulcruin intermediate the ends of the bar for the connection of one endof the chain thereto, a hook pivotalljy connected to the bar adjacentone end thereoi, and constituting means Yfor the connection oi the barwith the other end ot the chain, and a hook freely pivotally con-`nected to the bar adjacent the other end thereo and at one side ot thesaid bar for locking engagement with one of the links of the chainadjacent the last-1nentioned end thereof when the lever bar has beenswung about its tulcruin to draw the ends of the chain together, thesaid hook extending erosswise with relation to the plane of the barwhereby to engage the said chain 'lroni the side.

ln testimony whereof I aiiX my signature.

rnrnn n. cLoos, JR. [as]

